Jesus & Shared Meals

Jesus enjoyed sharing meals with others, and he understood that shared meals can enhance the spiritual nature of eating. Shortly after Levi, a tax collector responded to Jesus’ invitation to follow him, Jesus went to a dinner party at Levi’s home. The description of the guest list: “many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples,” may seem unimportant. But who was seated with Jesus at Levi’s dinner table is revealing. The term “sinner” referred to people who were obvious sinners, people who were viewed as unforgiveable. Tax collectors were generally hated by most people at the time, but not for the same reason that the Internal Revenue Service might not be our favorite government agency today. Instead tax collectors were despised for three reasons: they were viewed as traitors, who collaborated with the hated Romans and took money from other Jewish people and turned it over to Roman authorities; they were seen as sinners, who worked with and for gentiles; and they were considered to be crooks, who enriched themselves by overcharging taxpayers. And yet, Jesus was sharing a meal with Levi’s friends, this collection of tax collectors and sinners. Some religious leaders noticed Jesus’ dining companions, and grumbled, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus made it clear: “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” Jesus seeks out those who are rejected as undesirable and unforgiveable; they are welcome at Jesus’ table. (Mark 2:15-17)

Jesus also dined with religious leaders, including Simon, who was a Pharisee. Pharisees were considered to be paragons of virtue, so Simon was a respectable man. While the dinner party at Levi’s home was interrupted by grumbling religious leaders, the dinner party at the Simon’s home was interrupted by a woman everyone in the city condemned as a sinner. Somehow she heard that Jesus was going to be at Simon’s home. She wanted to see Jesus so much, and she wanted to express her appreciation for him so much, that she crashed the party. Clearly she knew that she would never be welcomed into the home of a Pharisee – Pharisees did not consort with sinners like her – but she didn’t care. She came to Jesus, kneeled at his feet, cried so much that her tears covered his feet, dried her tears with her hair, and then anointed his feet with costly perfume – all as a demonstration of gratitude and love. When Simon silently wondered why Jesus couldn’t tell what kind of woman this was, Jesus reminded his host that while Simon did not extend hospitality to Jesus in the culturally expected ways at the time, the woman at his feet went over and above what was expected in her act of gratitude. Because she was forgiven much, she showed great love. (Luke 7:36-50)